Chapter Summaries

After Team Kakashi stopped the attack on Fujikaze Yukie, the Third Hokage considered the Land of Snow’s political significance while Zou offered Oto the Crystal Pendant and began studying the captured Chakra Armor. The armor would not respond to Zou, so he forced the injured Nadare Rōga to help with his research.

• Sandayu posted a B-rank mission to recover the Crystal Pendant, and the Third learned that he and Yukie had not requested help reclaiming the Land of Snow.
• Kakashi reported the mission to the Third, who revealed that he had assigned it knowing Yukie was the Land of Snow’s princess.
• Zou explained his movie theater visit to Oto, then offered her the Crystal Pendant, which she refused to wear.
• Zou visited his underground base, shackled the captive Nadare Rōga, and tried to activate the Land of Snow’s Chakra Armor.
• When the armor failed to respond, Zou used tools on Nadare until the armor activated, then said he would rely on Nadare for further research.

Zou Hyuga tested the Chakra Armor, then took the unconscious Nadare Rōga by carriage toward the Land of Snow. Nadare woke during the journey and discovered their young driver could use Ice Release.

• Zou Hyuga tested the Chakra Armor, judged its current capabilities unimpressive, and recorded its structure with his Byakugan instead of dismantling it.
• Zou Hyuga knocked Nadare Rōga unconscious and brought him along in a carriage.
• Nadare Rōga woke in the carriage, accepted food from Zou Hyuga, and questioned his captor’s strength.
• As the carriage approached a river without a bridge, the young driver used Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals to carry it safely across.

Zou Hyuga and Haku reached the Land of Snow with Nadare Rōga and were met by Kazahana Dōtō and the Snow Ninja Forces. Haku fought the snow ninja while Zou watched, leaving Haku outmatched once Dōtō joined the battle.

• Zou Hyuga showed Nadare Rōga the Crystal Pendant and said they were heading to the Land of Snow, while Haku demonstrated his Ice Release kekkei genkai.
• A week later, Zou Hyuga, Haku, and Nadare Rōga reached the Land of Snow, where Nadare secretly left signs to alert his colleagues.
• Kazahana Dōtō and the Snow Ninja Forces confronted the group beside a railway, and Dōtō ordered his forces to attack after Nadare confirmed they had the key.
• Zou Hyuga blocked the icicle barrage with an ice wall and told Haku to deal with the snow ninja as he saw fit.
• Haku unleashed Ice Release in the blizzard, but Nadare warned Dōtō about Haku's kekkei genkai and Zou's strength; Dōtō joined the fight, turning the battle against Haku.
• Zou Hyuga watched from a cliff while drinking milk tea and concluded that letting Haku fight in his place was convenient.

Haku fought Kazahana Dōtō and the Snow Ninja until Zou Hyuga intervened, exposing the overwhelming gap between their forces. Zou demanded Kazahana Dōtō trade his Chakra Armor research for the Crystal Pendant and threatened to destroy it when Kazahana Dōtō hesitated.

• Haku held off Kazahana Dōtō’s Black Dragon Blizzard with an ice pyramid, but his defenses began to break under the assault.
• Zou Hyuga stopped the ice tornado with his hands, leaving the Snow Ninja surrounded and stunned.
• Zou criticized Haku’s performance, then challenged Nadare Rōga and Kazahana Dōtō over the Land of Snow’s hostile welcome.
• Kazahana Dōtō offered wealth or land in exchange for the Crystal Pendant, but Zou said he wanted the Chakra Armor data and documentation instead.
• Kazahana Dōtō hesitated to surrender his research, so Zou threatened to crush the Crystal Pendant.

Zou Hyuga traded the Crystal Pendant for the Chakra Armor technology and accompanied Kazahana Dōtō to the Land of Snow. After Kazahana Dōtō discovered the treasure was a Geothermal Heater, Zou Hyuga revealed his ties to Akatsuki and proposed a partnership, leaving the daimyō wary of the powerful organization.

• Kazahana Dōtō agreed to trade the Chakra Armor technology for the Crystal Pendant, and Zou Hyuga told him to leave Kazahana Koyuki alone.
• Zou Hyuga and Haku traveled with Kazahana Dōtō to the Land of Snow's capital, where Kazahana Dōtō promised to prepare the technology documents.
• Kazahana Dōtō searched for the Land of Snow's treasure and found a Geothermal Heater instead of a weapon.
• Zou Hyuga explained that the Geothermal Heater and Chakra Armor could help the Land of Snow grow stronger.
• Zou Hyuga revealed he was an Akatsuki member and president of the Tailed Beast Merchant Association, then proposed a partnership with the Land of Snow.
• Kazahana Dōtō recognized that the Land of Snow could not afford to oppose Akatsuki or the great shinobi villages.

Zou Hyuga collected the Chakra Armor documents, bought three suits from Kazahana Dōtō, and asked to inspect the Land of Snow’s Geothermal Heater. After examining it in the valley, he marveled at the ingenuity of the Land of Snow’s two successive daimyō.

• Zou Hyuga followed Kazahana Dōtō into the Land of Snow’s Ninja Base and checked the Chakra Armor technical documents.
• Zou Hyuga offered thirty million ryō for three suits of Chakra Armor and asked Kazahana Dōtō to inform him of future breakthroughs.
• Kazahana Dōtō accepted the payment, and Zou Hyuga later asked to see the Geothermal Heater.
• Kazahana Dōtō led Zou Hyuga to the valley with Nadare Rōga, who had secretly become Zou Hyuga’s informant.
• Zou Hyuga examined and operated the Geothermal Heater, then marveled at the genius of the Land of Snow’s two successive daimyō.

Zou Hyuga and Haku returned from the Land of Snow and encountered a major battle between the Akatsuki and Kumogakure. The two sides converged on Zou, who decided to watch the fight while hiding his identity.

• Zou Hyuga left the Land of Snow with Haku, and Kazahana Dōtō watched them depart before turning his attention to Nadare Rōga.
• After half a month at sea, Zou Hyuga and Haku reached the continent, and Zou decided to bring Haku along rather than leave him in the Land of Snow.
• Zou Hyuga and Haku heard a battle in the forest, and Zou used his Byakugan to identify the fighters as an Akatsuki team and Kumogakure forces.
• Zou Hyuga recognized Hiruko, Orochimaru, and Shinnō facing the Fourth Raikage, Killer B, and elite Cloud Ninja, with Chino of the Chinoike clan among the Akatsuki group.
• The Fourth Raikage demanded that Hiruko and his allies return Kumogakure’s medical technology and stolen kekkei genkai, while Killer B echoed the demand in a rap.

The Fourth Raikage and Killer B attacked Orochimaru while he fought alongside Hiruko, Shinnō, and a Ketsuryūgan Youth. Zou Hyuga and Haku arrived to help, and Zou faced Killer B as he advanced into a stronger tailed-beast transformation.

• The Fourth Raikage used Lightning Release Chakra Mode to destroy Orochimaru's Snake Clone and attack Hiruko, while Shinnō joined the fight.
• Killer B pressed Orochimaru, who summoned a Ten Thousand Snake Formation and reminded him that he had killed Blue B, the previous Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
• The Ketsuryūgan Youth warned Orochimaru that two unfamiliar ninja were approaching, and Zou Hyuga and Haku arrived.
• Zou Hyuga joined the battle and clashed blades with Killer B, who entered Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
• Killer B's tailed-beast chakra intensified as he grew tails and charged Zou Hyuga with Lariat.

Zou Hyuga fought Killer B, survived his Lariat, and drove the Eight-Tails jinchūriki to retreat with the Cloud Ninja. After meeting with Orochimaru, Zou learned that the young woman accompanying him was Chinoike, a wielder of the Ketsuryūgan, and suspected Orochimaru and Hiruko wanted her kekkei genkai.

• Zou Hyuga blocked Killer B's Lariat but was injured, then attacked him through the Cloud Ninja and an Ice Mirror Labyrinth.
• Killer B escaped Zou Hyuga's attacks with the elite Cloud Ninja and withdrew to regroup with the Fourth Raikage.
• Zou Hyuga pretended to be gravely wounded, while Orochimaru declined to attack him and proposed regrouping with Hiruko.
• Orochimaru recognized Haku as a Yuki Clan ninja and showed interest in her, prompting Zou Hyuga to warn him off.
• Zou Hyuga learned that Orochimaru's companion was Chinoike and recalled that the Ketsuryūgan could use Blood Release.

Killer B reported the Akatsuki’s strength to the Fourth Raikage, who withdrew and planned to investigate the Chinoike Clan’s return. At Orochimaru’s base, Zou Hyuga watched a Ketsuryūgan user demonstrate his abilities and suspected the young man was being recruited as an experimental subject rather than a fighter.

• Killer B told the Fourth Raikage that Orochimaru’s group had driven them off, and the Raikage learned that Hiruko and Shinnō had escaped into Yugakure.
• The Fourth Raikage reconsidered the Akatsuki’s strength and returned to the Land of Lightning, deciding to investigate the resurfaced Chinoike Clan.
• Orochimaru and Zou Hyuga found Hiruko and Shinnō near Yugakure, then brought them to a nearby base, where Zou processed the Eight-Tails’ chakra.
• Haku told Zou Hyuga that the Ketsuryūgan user had joined the Akatsuki to seek revenge on the Uchiha, prompting Zou to watch his training.
• The Ketsuryūgan user controlled two test subjects through their blood and made them explode, while Orochimaru said he had never intended the young man to fight the Uchiha.

Zou Hyuga returned from Amegakure with news that Shukaku would revive soon, then warned Oto Uchiha about Akatsuki and the Ketsuryūgan. He began researching a severed piece of the Eight-Tails' tentacle and prepared to test whether he could absorb its chakra by eating it.

• Zou Hyuga traveled through the Land of Rain with Shinnō and learned from Pain and Konan that Shukaku would soon revive in the desert.
• Zou Hyuga returned to Konoha and reported his movements to Oto Uchiha, who questioned him about Haku and the Ketsuryūgan.
• Zou Hyuga warned Oto Uchiha that Shukaku might revive within six months and that Akatsuki could target Yugito next.
• Zou Hyuga entered the Secret Room and retrieved a severed section of the Eight-Tails' tentacle for research.
• Zou Hyuga studied the tentacle for several days, then cut off a small piece and prepared to eat it to test whether he could absorb the Eight-Tails' chakra.

Zou Hyuga processed the Eight-Tails' tentacle and learned that Konoha knew the Akatsuki was based in Amegakure. The village was preparing for a possible campaign, while Kakashi traveled to the Land of Lightning and the ANBU planned a major recruitment drive.

• Zou Hyuga separated the Eight-Tails' chakra from Shukaku's inside his Diamond Mark after the two forces fought for control.
• Zou Hyuga learned from Oto Uchiha that the village leadership had informed the ANBU leadership of the Akatsuki's base in Amegakure.
• Oto Uchiha told Zou Hyuga that Kakashi had been sent to the Land of Lightning, and Zou suspected he would seek an alliance with Kumogakure.
• Zou Hyuga asked whether Jiraiya had left the village, then learned his Chakra Armor had arrived near Daimyō Castle.
• Oto Uchiha invited Zou Hyuga to help assess recruits for a major ANBU intake that would include Uchiha and Hyuga members.

Kakashi escorted Kazahana Koyuki toward Daimyō Castle while reflecting on the Akatsuki and his own limits. During a rest stop, Nadare Rōga confronted Koyuki and attacked her, and Kakashi countered with a water blade.

• Kakashi escorted Kazahana Koyuki out of Konoha and told her she was not suited to becoming a ninja.
• Kakashi considered his mission to meet the Fourth Raikage and the growing threat posed by Akatsuki members.
• During a midday rest, Kakashi spotted Nadare Rōga emerging from the bushes and moved in front of Kazahana Koyuki.
• Nadare Rōga told Kazahana Koyuki that her father's treasure was worthless and implied Kazahana Dōtō had found it.
• Nadare Rōga lunged at Kazahana Koyuki with a water blade, and Kakashi created an identical blade to block him.

Kakashi fought Nadare Rōga and suspected his Chakra Armor had greatly enhanced him, while Zou Hyuga discussed Pain, the One-Tail, and the Rōran Leyline with Orochimaru and Shinnō. After Nadare fled, Kakashi and Asama Sandayu prepared to change the convoy’s route and conceal Princess Koyuki’s identity.

• Nadare Rōga tested his Chakra Armor against Kakashi and realized Kakashi had grown much stronger, while Kakashi wondered whether to alert the village about the armor.
• Zou Hyuga confronted Orochimaru and Shinnō in an izakaya, asking whether they planned to attack the Fire Daimyō; Orochimaru instead raised the One-Tail and Pain’s plans.
• Orochimaru proposed using the shinobi villages against Pain, and Zou Hyuga warned him that he would charge five million ryō each to keep their conversation secret.
• Shinnō asked to use the power in the Rōran Ruins, but Zou Hyuga warned him about the dangers of the Leyline.
• Kakashi drove Nadare Rōga away and suspected the Chakra Armor was responsible for his opponent’s unusual strength.
• Kakashi asked Asama Sandayu whether the convoy should change its route, and Asama agreed, planning to disguise himself and Princess Koyuki once they reached safety.

Zou Hyuga recognized the factions within the Akatsuki and left to retrieve the Chakra Armor while Orochimaru and Shinnō headed to the Fire Temple. Their nighttime assault drew out Chiriku, whom Shinnō fought as Orochimaru watched and studied their use of natural energy.

• Zou Hyuga concluded that Orochimaru and Shinnō had their own goals and left the city to collect the Chakra Armor.
• Orochimaru and Shinnō reviewed their exchange of forbidden techniques and traveled to the Fire Temple to investigate its natural-energy methods and Chiriku's Gift of the Sages.
• Orochimaru and Shinnō disguised themselves as visitors, scouted the Fire Temple, and attacked one of its main halls after nightfall.
• Chiriku pursued the attackers into the forest and confronted Orochimaru and Shinnō.
• Chiriku used Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Hand Kill, and Shinnō opened the fifth gate and engaged him while Orochimaru observed and considered the dangers of absorbing too much natural energy.

Zou Hyuga studied the Land of Snow's Chakra Armor, gave its technology to Taro Utada, and received a natural energy cultivation method from Orochimaru and Shinnō. Back at the Leyline Base, he planned Karin's education and asked Vortex Shizuko to help explore freeing Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze from the Reaper Death Seal.

• Zou Hyuga accepted several suits of Chakra Armor from Nadare Rōga and mastered the armor's technology overnight.
• Zou Hyuga gave Taro Utada a suit of Chakra Armor and its blueprints, then learned that bandits had attacked the Fire Temple and that two visitors wanted to see him.
• Shinnō and Orochimaru admitted they had gone to the Fire Temple for Chiriku, and Shinnō left Zou Hyuga the temple's Natural Energy Cultivation Method.
• Orochimaru warned Shinnō that Pain and the Masked Man were dangerous, then returned with him to their base and their captive, Chiriku.
• Zou Hyuga gave Haku Chakra Armor and discussed sending Karin to Kirigakure with Vortex Shizuko, who worried about the risks to her daughter.
• Zou Hyuga asked Vortex Shizuko to perform the Reaper Death Seal near the end of her life so they could try to free Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze.

Vortex Shizuko arrived in Konoha and agreed to help Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha with a dangerous sealing formula to awaken Kushina. Hiashi asked Zou about the Akatsuki and agreed to have Hinata become Oto’s apprentice, while Hinata was left hurt when Neji treated her coldly.

• Zou Hyuga brought Vortex Shizuko to his courtyard, where she met Oto Uchiha.
• Zou told Oto that he wanted Shizuko to perform the life-threatening formula needed to awaken Kushina, and Shizuko agreed.
• Hanabi Hyuga summoned Zou to meet Hiashi, who asked how powerful the Akatsuki was and explained that the Hokage wanted the clans to organize an Emergency Response Force.
• Hiashi proposed that Hinata become Oto’s apprentice, and Zou accepted the arrangement.
• After school, Hinata hesitated to approach Naruto, then called out to Neji, who addressed her formally and walked away.

Hinata teamed up with Naruto to investigate a suspicious old man, who threatened to destroy Konoha before his explosive-tag plot was stopped. Oto revealed that she had prevented most of the tags from detonating and took charge of the aftermath, while Hinata's visit with her future mentor remained ahead.

• Hinata saw Sasuke with his older brother and reflected on how distant Neji and Hanabi were before Naruto startled her in an alley and asked for help investigating someone suspicious.
• Hinata used her Byakugan to locate the old man, and Naruto and Hinata followed him near Kage Rock while Tokuma Hyuga and Naruto's ANBU guard secretly watched.
• The old man threatened to destroy Konoha and swung his walking stick at the children, but Naruto knocked him down with a headbutt.
• The old man revealed explosive tags near Kage Rock, and Yamato rushed to contain the blast as the tags detonated.
• Oto appeared and claimed she had switched the explosive tags, then handed the old man to Yamato and inspected the damage to Kage Rock.
• Oto privately admitted she had used her dojutsu to stop the remaining tags from exploding and had only pretended to have swapped them.

The Third Hokage weighed new village security measures after an ordinary villager smuggled explosive tags into Konoha, then continued preparing an alliance against Akatsuki. Kakashi reached the Land of Lightning on a mission to persuade the Fourth Raikage, where Cloud Ninja came to meet him.

• Oto Uchiha recommended expanding security checks to include ordinary villagers, but Shikaku Nara warned that Konoha lacked enough personnel to do so effectively.
• The Interrogation Squad reported that the attacker had acted out of revenge and suffered severe psychological problems, and the Third Hokage returned to planning for a confrontation with Akatsuki.
• The Third Hokage considered the support and limitations of Sunagakure and Kirigakure, and relied on Kakashi to approach Kumogakure for an alliance.
• Kakashi crossed the Land of Lightning after a week of travel and reflected on Kazahana Koyuki's feelings and the strange changes to Obito's eye.
• Cloud Ninja spotted Kakashi at a border outpost and hurried to meet him.

Kakashi watched the Fourth Raikage and Killer B spar before persuading the Raikage to join Konoha’s operation against the Akatsuki. The Raikage agreed conditionally, but after Kakashi left, he smashed his desk in anger at Konoha’s attitude.

• Kakashi observed the Fourth Raikage and Killer B’s training and learned how powerful Lightning Release Chakra Mode was.
• The Fourth Raikage joked that Kakashi could become the next Raikage if he mastered the technique, and Kakashi declined to defect from Konoha.
• Kakashi delivered the Third Hokage’s proposal for Kumogakure to ally with Konoha and launch a surprise attack on the Akatsuki.
• Kakashi warned that the Akatsuki threatened Kumogakure and listed its dangerous members, persuading the Fourth Raikage to join if Konoha survived until the operation began.
• After Kakashi left, the Fourth Raikage smashed his desk over Konoha’s attitude.